Valve closure



L. A. MEKLER VALVE CLOSURE Jan. 15, 1952 Filed July 2, 1948 mV/ APatented Jan. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,582,877 VALVECLOSURE Lev Afll'lelclei, Chicago, Ill.

Application Jul-v a, 1948, Serial No. 36,617

1 My invention relates to improvementsin valves and is directedparticularly to valves of the-gate typeandwhichare intended for use insituations where the valve closure is .normally subject .toa-substantia1 differential expansion of the'opposite sides or facesthereof due to-differences of temperature to which saidiopposite sidescrimes are subjected inuse. Valvesmade inaccordance withimypresentinvention find particular utility as .hot reversing valves. inequipment used .in cyclic processes as, for. example, the catalytictreatment of hydrocarbon liquids and. gases, the manufacture of gasingas generators, andthe' like.

In valve structures heretofore employed for high temperature use, andparticularly where there is a substantial temperature difierentialera-opposite sides of the valve closure, serious problemsahave arisen..In the first place, i'n ord'er to obtain a fluidor liquid-tightclosure, it has been'necessary to resort to. expensive operations suchas grinding, lapping-in, and the like in orderto obtain an accurate fitbetween thecon-c tacting surfaces of the valve, closure and valve body.However, even when the valves are properly constructed initially, theuse thereof under severe temperature conditions causes warping due .timebecause of undue thermal stresses, and the usefulness of the valve isdestroyed,

In accordance with my present invention, a novel valve structure hasbeen'evolved; which is relativelyinexpensive to construct, .has longlife, issimple to operate, and is highly efiective, ,particularly foruse under temperature conditions of the character referred to above. v

M-y invention will be best understood connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment Of my novel valve structure isdisclosed and wherein Fig.1 is a front elevation;

Fig.2 is a vertical-section takenalong the line Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional viewrshowingin greater detail the construction of thecorrugated members which form apart of the valve closure assemblyproper;

Fig. 4 is-an enlargedssectional view, partly broken-away, showing insomewhat greater detail thestructure shown in Fig. 2 :and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal'section taken alongline 5--5 of Fig. 2..

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 2 and i, thevalve structure comprises a rigid'valve-bodyor; casing l which con neetsto conduits 2= and 3, defining zones A and B, through flanged members 4,6, I and 8. The valve body or casing I is of generally conventional.design and may be similar to that used in blast. gates, gate valves,and. the like. Thelower part of the casing I is arranged to form a well9 for the reception-of the lower part of the valve closuremember whensaid member is in closed position. The upper part of the casing l isconnected through-flanged. members II and IZto-a bonnet-l3.-

The valve closure member 44* comprisesan expandable hollow chamberstructure l5 which is :formed by spaced opposed generally circular or,if desired, somewhatoval-shaped, rigid plates 5-6 and llranannular rigidrim l8, and flexible annular ringmembers, particularly in the form ofcorrugated bodies [9 and 2|. The flexiblecorrugated annular'ring membersare connected or joined along their edges to the rigid plates l6 andHand. toxtherigidrim H3 in fluid-tight relationship. This is suitablyaccomplished by welding said ring members l9 and -2l at their innerperipheries to said rigid plates 16 and i1, respectively, and at theirouter peripheries to said rim I8. The plates 16 and I! are held togetherin the assembly by any suitable means which, preferably, permit a slightamount of movement between said ,platestowards and away from'eachother.Onesatisfactory manner of accomplishing this result is shown moreparticug larly in Fig. 5 and comprises radially disposed bolt-likemembers 22 and 23. The-members 22 are fixed firmly to the plate It. andthe members 23 are firmly fixed to the plate 51. The ends'of the members22- are formed. with knob-like or somewhat spherical enlargements 24which fit somewhat loosely into the enlarged sockets--26 formed on theends of the opposed members 23.

A hollow operating stem or rod 21, connected preferably to the upperpart 28 ofthe l8 by welding or the like, and to the :lower part 29 ofthe rim I 8, inan articulated manner to provide limited vertical motionto relieve strain on the membersl 9 and-.2.l, serves toraise and lowerthe closuremember inorderto open or close the valve as "desired.A's-shown more particularly inFig. v4, the connection of thehollow ro-d2'l to the lower part 2-9 of'the rim 18- may be efiectedthrough anapertured enlargement 3! on .the rod which fitsbetween upstandingapertured- -lugs :32 with a bolt 33 passing throughthe apertures in theenlargement 31 andlugsfl and held in assembledrelationship by the nuts34. The aperture inthe enlargement-3|- is somewhat larger in diameterthanthe bolt 33 to provide-for free play in a vertical direction. Thepurpose of this construction is to relieve strain on the corrugatedmembers I9 and 2| when they are under expansion due to fluid pressurewithin the chamber I5. The rod 21 is provided with elongated slots orapertures 35 through which a fluid may be admitted into the chamber Ifrom the rod 21.

To insure long wear, the corrugated members I9 and 2I, althoughpreferably made of a tough metal such as an alloy steel, areadditionally formed with thickened portions 36 at their outwardinvolutions or, in other words, at those parts wherein rubbing orfriction take place in the operation of the valve.

As more particularly shown in Fig. 4, the plates I6 and II are providedwith lug or projection I9 and 2I into the conduits and, in so doing, it

prevents or reduces the deposition of any solids purging fluid shouldnot be of such a nature that members 31 and 38 having rounded or curvedsur-.v

faces, and it will also be observed that the corners This constructioninsures smooth operation of the valve, the members 31 and 38 bearingagainst the seating surfaces 42 and 43 and sliding smoothly therealongwhen the valve stem 21 is raised to open the valve and the corrugatedmembers I9 and 2| pass out of contact with the seating surfaces 42 and43.

I find it advantageous, in certain instances, to provide weep or purgeholes 44 in the lower part of the rim I8, one or a plurality of suchholes of small diameter being provided, for the purposes statedhereinafter.

In the operation of the valve, assuming it to be in closed position asshown in Fig. 2, a hydraulic fluid, which may take the form of a liquidor a vapor or gas, for example, water or steam, is admitted underpressure from a suitable source (not shown) through the apertures 35 ofthe hollow stem 21 into the chamber I5 of the closure formed by theplates I6 and I1, the rim I8 and the flexible members I9 and 2|. Thepressure built up in said chamber exerts itself to force the corrugated.

flexible members I9 and 2| into firm and intimate engagement with theseating surfaces 42 and 43 to make a tight closure. Since the rigidplates I6 and I! have only a slight and limited relative movement towardand away from each other, the chief effect of the pressure built up inthe chamber I5 is exerted to cause the corrugated flexible member todeform or expand until they make a tight and intimate contact with theseating surfaces 42 and 43.

When it is desired to open the valve, the in-v ternal pressure withinthe chamber is released by withdrawing the liquid or vapor or gas, asthe case may be, through the hollow stem 21. This collapses the valveclosure, making withdrawal simple when the stem 21 is raised to open thevalve. If desired, the chamber I5 may be evacuated through the hollowstem 21, thereby further collapsing" the valve closure and facilitatingwithdrawal when the stem 21 is raised.

' When the valve of my present invention is used in certain systemswherein hydrocarbons are treated or handled, there is a tendency todeposit solids, such as tars or gums, on the valve closure and on thevalve seats. The utilization of the weep or purge holes 44 serves toreduce or eliminate such deposits. I'his is accomplished by the factthat a very small amount of the fluid which is in the chamber I5 undersubstantial pressure passes through the purge holes 44 into the spaces46 and 41 and builds up a fluid pressure in said spaces. The pressure inspaces 46 and 41 being higher than that in zones A and B, the fluid hasa tendency to leak past the corrugated members it will react in anundesirable manner with the materials which pass through the valve fromone conduit to the other in the particular operation or processinvolved. It will also be appreciated that, for high temperatureapplications, the fluid selected should be one which will not decomposeunder the temperatures encountered. As I have indicated above, steam isquite suitable in many applications. In certain special cases, as, forexample, where my valve is used as a hot valve in a gas generator, thegas itself may be used as the valve operating pressure fluid.

In many instances, the fluid serves not only as an expanding medium toeffect tight seating of. the valve closure member but, in addition, itfunctions as a cooling medium for said closure member, particularly forthe plates or discs I6 and I1, serving to equalize somewhat thetemperature of said plates if they are subjected to differenttemperatures in the zones A and B. Thus, for example, if the temperaturein zone A is 1400-1600 degrees F. and in zone B is 600 degrees R, as maybe the case in a portion of the cycle in a regenerator of an oil gasgenerating set, and with static pressure in the zones being 5" W. G. and40 W. G., respectively, exhaust saturated steam at a pressure of 6pounds per square inch can be used as both an expandingand coolingmedium. By regulating the quantity of steam permitted to escape throughthe purge holes, both plates I6 and I! may be maintained at close to thesame temperature intermediate 600' and 1400 degrees F.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A valve comprising a rigid casing forming a valve body provided withopposed annular seats, and a generally hollow closure member adapted tobe mounted in said casing and provided with flexible means adapted, inexpanded position, to seal tightly against said seat, said closurecomprising spaced, opposed generally circular, rigid plates connectedtogether through articulated means whereby to permit limited relativemovement between said plates, an annular rigid rim, and corrugated,flexible annular ring members connected at their inner peripheries tosaid rigid plates and at their outer peripheries to said rim influid-tight relationship, a hollow rod connected to said rigid rims tomove the closure member into open or closed position as desired, meansfor introducing a fluid under pressure through said hollow rod and intosaid hollow closure member to cause said corrugated ring members toexpand and seat tightly against said annular seats, and aperture meansin the rims through which fluid from the interior of said closure mem:ber may pass into the space between the valve body and the closure toremove any deposits'lbetween the closure and the annular seats.

2. A valve comprising a rigid casing, valve seating means, an expandablehollow closure member formed by a generally annular rigid rim, rigidopposed central plate members, and flexible annular rings connectedbetween the central plate members and the rigid rim in essentiallyfluid-tight relationship, means for admitting a fluid under pressureinto said hollow closure member whereby said flexible annular ringsexpand to seat tightly against said seating means without appreciablyaltering the shape of the rim and the shape and relative position of thecentral plate members, and a rod connected to the upper and lower partsof said rigid rim to move the closure member into open or closedposition as desired, one of said connections being rigid and the otherallowing slight vertical relative movement between said rod and itsconnection to said rim to relieve undue strain on said flexible annularrings.

3. A valve comprising a rigid casing forming a valve body provided withopposed annular seats, and a generally hollow closure member adapted tobe mounted in said casing and provided with flexible means adapted, inexpanded position, to seal tightly against said seats, said closurecomprising spaced opposed generally circular, rigid plates connectedtogether to permit limited relative movement between said plates, anannular rigid rim, said flexible means comprising corrugated annularring members connected at their inner peripheries to said rigid platesand at their outer peripheries to said rim in fluid-tight relationship,a hollow rod connected to the upper and lower parts of said rigid rim tomove the closure member into open or closed position as desired, theconnection of said hollow rod being fixed at the upper part of saidrigid rim and the connection of said hollow rod at the lower part ofsaid rigid rim allowing slight vertical relative movement between saidrod and its lower connection to said rigid rim to relieve undue strainon said corrugated ring members, and means for introducing a fluid underpressure into said hollow closure member through said hollow rod tocause said corrugated ring members to expand and seat tightly againstsaid annular seats.

LEV A. MEKLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 646,104 Faber Mar. 27, 1900686,703 Bickford Nov. 19, 1901 715,745 Bickford Dec. 16, 1902 1,476,344McGee Dec. 4, 1923 1,957,807 Robinson May 8, 1934

